Mechanism for producing plain knit areas in certain knitted fabrics



Aug. 28, 1934. E. M. MULLER Er AL -13971725 MECHANISM FOR PRODUCING- PLAIN KNIT AREAS IN CERTAIN KNIT'IED FABRICS Filed April 8, 1931' 5 shee'tsI-.sheat [1 A '3fm-ghi.-

IN VEN TORS zmxpfzzzer Emil Aug. 28, 1934. E. M. MULLER Er AL MECHANISM FOR PRODUCINGVPLAIN KNIT AREAS IN GE-RTAIN KNITTED FABRICS 1 Filed April 8, 1951 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORI zz ller Aug. 28, 1934. E. M. MLLER ET A1.

MECHANISM FOR PRODUCING PLAIN KNIT.AREAS IN CERTAIN KNITTED FABRICS A Filed April S, 1931 5 shams-sheet' l s Emails;

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Aug. 28, 1934. I E. M, MULLER ET AL I 1,971,725

MECHANISM FOR PRODUCING PLAIN KNIT AREAS IN CERTAIN KNITTED FABRICS Filed April 8, 1951 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Aug. 2s, 1934. y M MLLEREVAL- 1,971,725

lMECHANISM FOR PRODUCING PLAIN KNIT AREAS IN CERTAIN KNITTED FABRICS Filed April 8, 1951 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 o O o J 75 56 77 i 7J 91 Q C v 15 75 a5 79 75 76 o O gz n I N VEN TOR. Emiummiizzr Emil ahw/r,-

I -4 97 M o n,

Patented Aug. 28, 1.934

^ 1,911,125 yMECHANISM FOB. PRODUCING `PLAIN KNIT AREAS IN CERTAIN Emil Max Mller and Wyomixsing, Pa., vania KNITTED FABRICS Emu meiner. Wyomiminz, Pa., assirnors to Textile Machin a 'corporation of lenmyle Werkt,

Application April 8, 1931, Serial No. 528,532

J 12 Claims. (Cl. 66-98) This invention relates to mechanism for producing plain knitted areas in knitted fabrics of the type having loops formed by the coaction between loop engaging points and selected needles, i such as lace, mesh, and the like, and more particularly to full fashioned knitting machines for automatically producing hosiery embodying the foregoing construction.

` Knitting machines of the type referred to are l0 ordinarily equipped with loop transfer mechanism which isutilized in making full-lace or net stocking fabrics and this mechanism is usually capable of incorporating in such fabrics plain knitted reinforcing areas or sections whose out,N

" lines are parallel to the wales or courses thereof.

The present trend of fashion demands that stockings of this kind be provided with plain knitted areas at various points, particularly at the heel, which more satisfactorily ser-ve orna-l mental as well as reinforcing purposes. As such, these areasl must have more pleasing and varied outlines than those heretofore produced. While this is possible with the aid of complicated jacquard attachments, the installation and use of theseA for 'such purpose involves diillculties and disadvantages which we desire to overcome.

To this end, we provide novel and simple means in a straight knitting machine capable of incorporating plain knitted areas in full-lace or net fabrics, some, or all, of whose courses are of varying lengths, or displaced relative to each other, so as to eii'ect outlines partly or entirely inclinedto the wales and courses thereof: such means being pattern positioned and cooperating directly with the needles and transfer points.

AA further object is to provide interchangeable'- means for this purpose to'increase the number of plain ,knitted design effects obtainable.

Another object is to provide such mechanism in the for-m of a simple and reliable attachment capable of being readily applied to standard typesv of full fashioned knitting machines without entailing any changes either in their construction or normal mode of operation.

With these and other objects in view, which will become apparent from the following detailed 'description of one embodiment of the invention shown in the accompanying drawings, the invention resides in the novel elements, features of construction, and combination of parts in co. operative relationship, as more particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, Fig. 1 is a side view, in elevation, of a more or less diagrammatically represented form of full-lace or net stocking producibie with our improved mechanism.

Figs. 2 and 3 similarly illustrate shaped flatknitted full-lace or net fabrics having incorporated therein various plain knitted areas such as producible with our novel mechanism; Fig. 2

slfiowing the fabric for producing the stocking o Pig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a partial front view,.ine1evation, of certain parts of a full fashioned knitting machine having vour novel mechanism applied thereto.

Flg. 5 is a plan view of a part of Fig. 4, the extent of which is indicated by the arrowsV 5-5 on said ligure.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view, on

an enlarged scale, taken as indicated by the arrows '10.'

6-6 on Fig. 4.

Fig. 7 is a cross-sectional view, similar to Fig. 6, but taken on the line 7 7 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 8 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken as indicated by the arrows 8 8 on Fig. 4.

Figs. 9 and 1G are enlarged detail views of a certain interchangeable plate and its holder, forming part of our invention. I i f Fig. 11 is a fragmentary front elevation of the knitting machine, showing certain pattern mechanism embodied therein.

Fig. 12 is a vertical cross-sectional view, taken substantially along the line 12-12 of Fig.l 11, with certain parts omitted.

Fig. 13 is an/ enlarged end view, in elevation, partly broken away, of certain parts of the machine, taken substantially along the line 13-13 of Fig. 11. f

It is well known that in the production of the foot part of an ordinary full-fashioned stocking special narrowing operations are brought into play, as for example in forming the diamond point toe". This effect is produced by the gradual elimination of the narrowing points from the narrowing ileld by means of the so-called covering motion. In each knitting section of the machine, with the downward movement of the narrowing attachment, covering plates are operated and force themselves between the narrowing points and needles, always at the same place, thereby preventing the points and needles which are covered thereby from Ycooperating and effecting loop transference in a manner well known in the art. The narrowing combs move laterally with respect to the covering plates a distance of one needle at a time so that one additional narrowing point is prevented from picking up the loop at each successive narrowing movement until all of the points of the narrowing comb have thus been removed from action. A

In the production of the leg part of fullfashioned lace or net stockings, a lace comb is brought into play having as many points as are. necessary to transfer the desired loops of a knitted course to right and left, a distance in accordance with the loop design. f

Our improved mechanism provides for utilizing one or more covering members or plates, of a similar character to that above described in connection with the production of the diamond point toe, 1go;

and mounting them so as to be movable laterally,

to and fro across the entire length of the lace In describing the mechanism of our invention,

we shall refer to the machine parts producing one stocking fabric only, it being understood that many such fabrics are simultaneously produced 'in similar manner.

In the drawings, reference numeral l0 indicates a series of needles, 11 a loop transfer baror lace comb, which is provided with a series of loop transfer points 12. i

The bar 11 is controlled by well known pattern mechanism (not shown) and moved so that points 12 cooperate with the needles 10, to transfer the loops of a knitted course to right or left.

Yarn guide carrier bars 13 for laying the yarn, as usual, are controlled by stop units 14 and 15 mounted on a reversely threaded spindle 16, and

the common end stops controlled by the usual fabric shaping mechanism (not shown). The units 14 and 15 comprise movable stop slides 14a, 14h and 15a, 15b, selectively movable into the path of travel of abutment members 17 on bars 13, and are of the type disclosed and claimed in the patent to F. E. Struve, No. 1,833,310, issued Nov. 24, 1931, and illustrated in the Reading Full Fashioned Knitting Machine catalogue, pages 18S-l to 18S-29, published May, 1930 by the Textile Machine Works, Reading, Pennsylvania. The units 14 and l5 provide for limiting the stroke of selected bars 13 to less than the full width of the fabric being knitted, and particularly for reinforcing or plating purposes.

In accordance with our invention, we provide one or more similar loop transfer preventing members 18 and 19, and secure them to axially movable rock shafts or rods 2l and 22 respeca tively.

Members 18 and I9 are similar and each comprises a holder or bracket member 20, adiustably secured to its respective rod, and a covering device or plate 20a which is interchangeable and adjustably secured to holder 20 by screws 20h, as illustrated in Figs. 9 and 10. Plates 20a may be of any particular width so as to prevent transference of as many loops in a course at one time asdesired, and as above described.

' Rods 21 and 22 are slidably mounted in brackets 23, fixed to a rod 24 forming part of the usual loop transfer mechanism of the ce.

In order to impart the necessary turning movement to rods 21 and 22, so that plates 20a are brought into coaction with points l2 and needles 10 at the proper time, a rocker arm 25, Figs. 4 and 3, is secured to rod 21 having a member 26 turnably mounted at its outerend which in turn rests on a collar 27 fixed to a rod 23 extending through the member 26. Rod 28 is pivotally secured to the outer end of a rocker lever 29 fulcrumed on a machine frame member at 30, and provided with a roller 31 which periodically rides on an actuating cani 32 and normally on a concentric disk 33, on main machine cam shaft 3d. As well known, thecam shaft 34 isaaiailyshifted 1,971,7.25 v when the mop transfer mechanism is brought mm play, such movement positioning roller 31`from disk 33 onto cam 32.

Rods 21 and 22 are connected for united turning movement by contacting plates 41 and 42 secured thereto respectively. One or more helical springs 36 on rod 22 maintain these plates constantly in contact. For this purpose, one end of each spring is hooked over rod 2l and the other end secured to a collar 37 fixed on rod 22.

YA latch arm 46 pivoted on rod 24 is provided to normally keep members 18 and 19 in inactive position. x A notched plate 38 is secured to rod 2l whereby the latter may be turned in the direction indicatedby the arrow in Fig. '7, and secured in place by the latch arm 40, asclearly shown. Rod 22 is simultaneously turned with rod 21 owing to its loose connection therewith established by the contacting plates 41 and 42, and during such movement member 26 will slide on the upper end. of rod 28, a collar 39 secured to the lattery preventing disengagement therefrom.

Rods 21 and 22 are axially shiftable, as aforesaid, to effect movement of the members 18 and 19 toward and from each other so that covering devices 20a cooperate with the points 12 and needles l0 along the entire length of the lace comb 11. For this purpose, connecting arms 43 and 44 are slidably mounted on rod 24. Arm 43 has one end fixed to rod 21 and its other end in contact with stop unit ll, while arm 44 is similarly connected with rod 22 and contacts with stop unit 15. Connection between the units 14 and 15, and arms 43 and e4 is constantly maintained by a tension spring l5 whose ends are attached to the latter, thereby pulling the arms against the units i4 and 15 for united movement therewith. Free sliding7 movement oi the unit contacting ends oi* arms 43 and 4.4, in accordance with the movements oi?` the `loop transfer mechanism is thus permitted, without disturbing the alignment and united movement of the stop units 14 and 15 and members 18 and 19.

Referring particularly to Figs. 1l to 13, the pattern mechanism for controlling the operation and direction of rotation of the spindle 16 is as follows:

Two ratchet wheels 74 and '75 are fixed to the end ol the spindle 16 which coact withpawls '76 and "Z7 to 'rotate the spindle step by step, alternately, in either direction. The pawls 76 and '77 are similar and each is provided with a flange as indicated at 78 and 8G engegeable by the lngers 79 and 8l secured to the upper end of a lever 62 which is moved to alternately bring one or the other ci said. ngers into engagement with the ange of its cooperating pawl to prevent it from enacting with its respective ratchet wheel at a time when both pawls are simultaneously shifted.

Pawl 76 is mounted on a lever 83 fulcrumed on spindle 16, said lever being adjustably connected by a link-and-lever connection 84, and 86 with a similar lever 30 which carries the pawl 77 and is likewise pivoted on the spindle 16. Thus the pawls are connected to move in unison, however only one being entive at one time, and are actuated by e, rod 8'? connected with a lever 8S fulcrumed on a bearing 33 and carrying a roller 91 engageablc with a cam 22 on cam shaft 34. One end of lever 38 rests on the shouldered end oi a lever 23 which is operated by a well known pattern chain 94 provided with actuating buttons er studs 95 and 9d.`

Low buttons 95 are provided on the chain for gli lli)

moving lever 93 sufficiently to disengage its upper end from the lever 88 thereby allowing roller 91 to rest on cam 92 and coact therewith to cause the active pawl 77 tol move its respective ratchet wheel 75 and consequently turn the spindle a step in one direction. lWhen the button has passed, a tension spring 97 acts to return the lever 93 into engagement with lever 88 andretains it in inactive position after one revolution of cam 92. i

High buttons 96 are provided on the chain which moves the lever 93'an increased amount thereby again allowing cani 92 to act as before, however this time the increased movement of lever 93 will also bring its upper end into engagement with, and shift a lever 98 held in the position shown by a spring 99and fulcrumd at 100 and connected with the lower end of lever 82 by a rod 101, moving the same to disengage finger 79 from the flange 78 on pawl 76 and bringing linger 81 into lactive engagement with flange 80 on pawl 77. This action will allow pawl 76 to act on ratchet wheel 74 while pawl 77 will be held inactive) during the 'pawl shift motion derived 25..

from cam 92, causing the spindle to be moved a step in the opposite direction.

After a high button 96 has passed, the tension spring 99 will again return the lever 98 to its normal position, thereby reversing the connection of flngers 79 and 81, while the levers 88 and 93 are reset for cooperation with the next button.

'I'he foregoing mechanism provides pattern controlled means for automatically shifting the covering plates 20a laterally with respect to the needles and to diierent distances from the selvage edges of the fabric in preselected courses, respectively, whereby there may be produced a plain knit area adjoining a lace area, or within a lace area, having an outline extending at an angle to the wales and courses ofthe fabric in accordance 'i with any desired design.

Figs. 2 and 3 illustrate, more or less diagrammatically, fiat knitted full-lace or net fabrics with plain knitted areas (unlined) as producible with the aid of our improved mechanism, while Fig. 1 shows a complete stocking made from a fabric such as shown in Fig. 2.

It will be noted that the fabric and the stocking shown' in the latter gures, have a plain knitted heel part l51 which is partly curved along each side as at 52.` This is knownwas a curved French heel. A plain knitted curved part is also provided adjacent the foot reinforcement as at 53, producing the so-called cradle foot. It will be apparent' that such plain knitted parts ,are readily produced with our improved mechanism and by the use of two similar covering plates of the proper width to cover the longest plain knitted course produced. f

The plain knitted areas may be reinforced or plated, if desired, by simply controlling one or more of the bars 13 selected for laying the extra yarn with the units 14 and 15.

Plain knitted parts' as shownincorporated in the fabric of Fig. 3, are effected by covering plates lof twodilerent widths, the design 54 in the center beingl produced by two plates of one width, while the curved heel part 55, some of whose ccursesare longer, requires the use of two correspondingly wider covering plates.

Itis also to be noted that the curved lines 56 are obtained by successively effecting plain knitted courses of varying lengths, while the upper part -of the design 54 is produced by displacing successively knitted courses, the straight and Vwider stem part 57 of this design being effected by moving the two covering plates together.

Forbrevity in the specication and claims, the term lace is used in a generic sense to define openwork, mesh, run-proof fabrics and/or other types of fabrics comprised of stitches formed by the coaction between points and selected needles, as distinguished Vfrom plain knit fabric; the terms transfer points and laceipoints define any type of point or equivalent member coacting with the needles for producing a knitted area comprised of stitches formed by the coaction between said points and selected needles; and the term covering plate is used in a generic sense to denne any member or device which operates in a(manner analogous thereto for preventing coaction between points and selected needles.

The statement in the claims that the means or mechanism for operating the covering member or members is operable independently of the fabric shaping mechanism refers to the fact that the covering member or members are movable to any desired pattern-determining position irrespective of and unaffected by the position of the means or mechanism at the time employed for shaping thel fabric, which, in the production of lace fabrics comprises the end stops and their associated operating means for limiting the traverse -of the yarn carrier bars, and in the production of plain knit fabrics comprises the narrowing points and elements of the narrowing head' mechanism for controlling the position ofthe narrowing points. 'I'he statement does not means that various elements of the fabric shaping mechanism of I a machine may not be employed in practicing the invention; in the illustrative embodiment shown in the drawings, the loop transfermechanism commonly employed for shaping plain knit fabrics is used for dipping the loop engaging points toward the needles. However, applicants mechanism is adapted to laterally shift the covering members irrespective of the position or operation of the mechanism at the time employed for shaping the fabric, and therefore any desired design or pattern eiect may be obtained, regardless of Whether a narrowing or other shaping operation is performed in any of the courses in which the design or .pattern effect is being produced, and is unaffected by the fabric shaping operation. Y

'Ihe method and article herein disclosed and not covered by the claims is not dedicated to the public, but is claimed in an application of Emil` Of course, many other pleasing variations and combinations of plain knitted areas, in such stockings, can be produced by the use of our novel mechanism, and the latter can be changed and modified in various ways without departing from the invention herein disclosed and hereinafter claimed. l

We claim.:

l. In a straight knitting machine having a bank of needles, a series of loop engaging points associated therewith, and mechanism for shaping the fabric; mechanism for effecting coaction between said needles and points for producing in the fabric being knitted an area having loops formed`by the coaction between the points and selected needles, a member for preventing coactlon between said points and selected needles,

and means for defining an outline of said area in accordance with a predetermined pattern, comi formed by the coaction between the points and selected needles, a member for preventing coaction between said points and selected needles, and means for'dening an outline of said area extending at an angle to the wales and courses of the fabric in accordance with a predetermined pattern, comprising mechanism, operable independently of the fabric shaping mechanism, for

automatically moving said member different predetermined distances from a selvage edge of the fabric in preselected successive courses, respectively, to prevent coaction between said points and certain of said needles. l

3. In a straight knitting machine having a bank of needles, a series of loop engaging points associated therewith, and mechanism for shaping the fabric; mechanism for effecting coaction between said needles and points for producing in the fabric being knitted an area having loops formed by the coaction between the points and selected needles, a member for preventing coaction between said points and selected needles, and means for defining an outline of said area in accordance with a predetermined v pattern, comprising mechanism, operableindependently of the fabric shaping mechanism, for automatically moving said member towards and from a selvage edge of the fabric and to different predetermined distances from said selvage edge of the fabric in preselected courses, respectively, to prevent coaction between said points and certain of said needles.

4. In a straight knitting machine having a bank of needles, a series of loop engaging points associated therewith, and mechanism for shaping the fabric; mechanism for effecting coaction between said needles and points for producing in the fabric being knitted an area having loops formed by the coaction between the points and selected needles, a member for preventing coaction between said' points and selected needles, and means for defining an outline of said area extending at an angle to the wales and courses of the fabric in accordance with a. predetermined pattern, comprising mechanism, operable independently of the fabric shaping mechanism, for automatically moving said member towards and from a selvage edge of the fabric and to diierent predetermined distances from said selvage edge of the fabric in preselected successive courses, respectively, to prevent coaction between said points and certain of 'said needles.

5. In a full fashioned knitting machine having a bank of needles, a series of lace points associated therewith, and mechanism for shaping the fabric; mechanism for effecting coaction between said needles and points for producing a lace area in the fabric being knitted, a covering plate for preventing coaction between said points and selected needles, and means for defining an outline of a plain knit area adjacent said lace area inaccordance with a predetermined design, comprising pattern controlled mechanism, operable independently of the fabric shaping mechanism, for automatically shifting said covering plate laterally with respect to said needles and to different 4distances from the selvage needles in preselected courses, respectively, to prevent coaction between -aid points and certain of said needles.

6. In a straight knitting machine having a bank of needles, a series of lace points associated therewith, mechanism for shaping the fabric, and pattern mechanism for controlling the fabric shaping mechanism; mechanism for effecting coaction between said needles and points for producing a lace area in the fabric being knitted, a covering plate for preventing coaction between said points and selected needles, and means for determining an outline of a plain knit area adjacent said lace area in accordance with a predetermined design, comprising additional pattern control mechanism, operable independently of the fabric shaping mechanism, for automatically shifting said covering plate laterally with respect to said needles towards andy from the selvage edges of the fabric and to different distances from the selvage edges in preselected courses, respectively, to prevent coaction between said points and certain of said needles.

'7. In a straight knitting machine having a bank of needles, a series of loop engaging points associated therewith, and mechanism for shaping the fabric; mechanism for effecting coaction between said needles and points for producing in the fabric being knitted an area having loops formed by the coaction between the points and selected needles, a member movable to active and inactive positions relative to said points and needles and operative in its active position for preventing coaction be tween said points and selected needles, and means for defining an outline of said area in accordance with a predetermined pattern, comprising mechanism, operable independently of the fabric shapl lng mechanism, for automatically moving said member different predetermined distances from a selvage edge of the fabric in preselected courses, respectively, to prevent coaction between said points and certain of said needles, said mechanism including means for automatically moving said member to its active and inactive positions in accordance with the movements of said points and needles.

8. In a straight knitting machine having fabric shaping mechanism including carrier rod end stops, reciprocatively operated yarn carrier rods, rod stop members associated therewith and movable to different operative positions independently of the fabric shaping mechanism, one or more covering plates, and mechanism for automatically moving each oi said covering plates in correspondence with the movement of certain of said movable rod stop members.

9. In a straight knitting machine, the combination with cooperating yarn guide carrier bars, a pair of movable stops for said bars, a series of needles, a series of transferpoints, mechanism for shaping the fabric, and mechanism for effecting coaction between said needles and points; of means, operable independently of the fabric shaping mechanism, adapted to prevent coaction between selectively determined needles and points including one or more movable covering plates,

lli-G and means connecting each of said plates with which have a stroke less than the full width of the fabric being knitted, a series of needles, a series of transfer points, mechanism for shaping the fabric, and mechanism for eiecting coaction between said needles and points; of means, operable independently of the fabric shaping mechanism,

adapted to prevent coactionbetween selectively determined needles and points including a pair of movable covering plates; means connecting each plate with one of said stops, and a reversely threaded spindle for moving the stops toward and from each other.

11. In a straight knitting machine, the combination with a yarn guide bar, a movable stop for said bar, a series of needles, a series of points, mechanism for shaping the fabric, pattern mechanism for controlling the fabric shaping mechanism, and mechanism for effecting coaction between said needles and points; of means adapted to prevent coaction between selectively determined needles and points including a slide rod independently movable laterally relative to the points and provided with a transfer preventing device, means connecting said slide rod with said stop, and additional pattern control mechanism for moving said stop in both directions and indepeundently of the fabric shaping mechanism.

12.111 a straight knitting machine having' mechanism including carrier rod end stops for shaping the fabric, pattern mechanism for controlling the fabric shaping mechanism, and reciprocatively operated yarn carrier rods; stop members movable to different operative positions independently of the fabric shaping mechanism for arresting the travel of selected yarn carriers intermediate the selvage edges of the fabric being knitted, one or more covering plates, additional pattern control mechanism for automatically moving each of said covering plates in correspondence with certain of said movable stop members to produce a plain knit area of predetermined pattern, and other yarn carriers controlled by said movable stop members for plating the said plain knit area.

EMIL MAX MULLER.

Elimi RICHTER. 

